Question (GTX 1080) Under 30% GPU usage GTA V

[ArYcEz]

I recently bought a GTX 1080, however when I tried to play GTA V I realized that my framerate wasn't much different from the card I upgraded from (GTX 970.) My GPU usage howevers anywhere from 10~% to 35~% but rarely goes above that. I turned all my graphics down but there seems to be no improvement on my framerate (which is just around 60fps.) I've already tried disabling HPET and changing the priority to high in task manager, both of which yielded no results.

Specs:
MSI GTX 1080
i7 4790k
12 Gb DDR3
Asus z-97p mobo

 

[Jason H.]

As far as gpu usage goes, seems about normal to me.

On my 1060 3gb I only have about 60% usage with a mix of very high/ medium settings with 4x AA.

However I use VSYNC for GTA V as the screen tearing makes the game look so bad, however with vsync disabled I stay around 70-85fps. Never drop fps with vsync enabled always 60 fps steady. However I was only able to achieve this by OC'ing my gpu a bit otherwise i drop frames below 60 with vsync enabled.

All in all as far as usage goes, sounds about right to me.

But as far as your fps not going up or down while changing settings is odd.

Are you sure vsync is disabled in nvidia control panel as well?

 

[Jason H.]

Also a gpu will not use 99% if it does not need to.

Your seeing a low usage while on low settings and a high usage while on high settings right? Thats perfectly normal.

The gpu only uses as much as it needs to supply performance to the graphics you choose.

The only way it will use 99% usage is if your maxing out the cards power like raising all the settings to max.

 

[RobCrezz]

Also a gpu will not use 99% if it does not need to.

Your seeing a low usage while on low settings and a high usage while on high settings right? Thats perfectly normal.

The gpu only uses as much as it needs to supply performance to the graphics you choose.

The only way it will use 99% usage is if your maxing out the cards power like raising all the settings to max.

Thats not true.

The GPU should max out, as long as there isnt something limiting it, like a bottleneck, vsync/adaptive sync, or a FPS cap.

 

[Jason H.]

Thats not true.

The GPU should max out, as long as there isnt something limiting it, like a bottleneck, vsync/adaptive sync, or a FPS cap.

My GPU only utilizes 99% when the game is using enough of the resources to make it use 99%.

If he has all the settings on low, the gpu, especially a 1080, will not utilize 99%.

As I stated if he turns vsync off and ups the graphics, and it doesnt use a higher percentage, thats weird.

However it still remains that if a game isnt forcing the GPU to 99%, it wont always use 99%.

 

[Wendigo]

I know it sounds obvious, by are you sure your monitor is set to 144Hz ? Many will default to 60Hz unless set otherwise in the driver or monitor properties... Some will even require to install a driver (reslly only a inf file) for the monitor to be able to use it at higher refresh rate than 60Hz.

 

[RobCrezz]

My GPU only utilizes 99% when the game is using enough of the resources to make it use 99%.

If he has all the settings on low, the gpu, especially a 1080, will not utilize 99%.

As I stated if he turns vsync off and ups the graphics, and it doesnt use a higher percentage, thats weird.

However it still remains that if a game isnt forcing the GPU to 99%, it wont always use 99%.

99% for all intents and purposes is maxed out.

 

[ArYcEz]

I know it sounds obvious, by are you sure your monitor is set to 144Hz ? Many will default to 60Hz unless set otherwise in the driver or monitor properties... Some will even require to install a driver (reslly only a inf file) for the monitor to be able to use it at higher refresh rate than 60Hz.

Yes it is. Every game I download it's first priority for me to change my refresh rate to 144Hz, I also have my refresh rate set to max within the Nvidia control panel.

 

[knickle]

Is it possible that it would be my ram that's keeping both my CPU and GPU from performing as they should?
I've also seen a video

Unfortunately I can't answer that question as I have never actually played with this type of memory configuration. The question is, what part of the memory is being used by the game? The portion in single, or the portion in dual channel, or a combination of the two?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5wA7EFwpo

) which describes a similar issue, where the culprit is a bad PSU, which I might actually think is the case with my PSU since it is which old and I think it might be nearing the end of it's days.

In that video the CPU is maxed out at 100%. The poster of the video insists that the CPU was being throttled because of inadequate power. In your case you have indicated that your CPU is not maxed out, so I wouldn't put all my faith in that being your culprit.

 

[ArYcEz]

Unfortunately I can't answer that question as I have never actually played with this type of memory configuration. The question is, what part of the memory is being used by the game? The portion in single, or the portion in dual channel, or a combination of the two?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5wA7EFwpo





In that video the CPU is maxed out at 100%. The poster of the video insists that the CPU was being throttled because of inadequate power. In your case you have indicated that your CPU is not maxed out, so I wouldn't put all my faith in that being your culprit.

But wouldn't 8Gb of my ram still be running in dual channel mode as stated here:

I looked at the manual for your motherboard and it indicates that your scenario will run half of the 8GB in dual channel, and the other half in single channel.

"You many install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel configuration. Any excess memory from the higher-sized channels is then mapped for single-channel operation"

And I don't think that GTA V uses more than 8Gb of ram to be effected by the excess ram running in single channel mode. However that is quite a shocking difference in performance seen in the video that you sent.

 

[Wendigo]

But wouldn't 8Gb of my ram still be running in dual channel mode as stated here:

And I don't think that GTA V uses more than 8Gb of ram to be effected by the excess ram running in single channel mode. However that is quite a shocking difference in performance seen in the video that you sent.

This should be easy to test by just running the PC with only the 2 x 4GB RAM sticks in dual channel... If performance imprves, it would mean the extra 4Gb in single channel is the culprit.

 

[knickle]

But wouldn't 8Gb of my ram still be running in dual channel mode as stated here:

And I don't think that GTA V uses more than 8Gb of ram to be effected by the excess ram running in single channel mode. However that is quite a shocking difference in performance seen in the video that you sent.

The game itself doesn't decided what part of the system RAM is used. It's wherever Windows decides to shove it. Besides, Windows uses a fair bit of RAM just for it's own purposes. The only way to know for sure is to remove your RAM and test out equal matched memory modules.

Do you have any computers stores near you? You can talk to them about your situation and see if they have a reasonable return policy and try out some new RAM. They might even offer a trade-up service.

 

[ishaankaushik]

Is it possible that it would be my ram that's keeping both my CPU and GPU from performing as they should?
I've also seen a video (

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld2sy-wDrcQ
) which describes a similar issue, where the culprit is a bad PSU, which I might actually think is the case with my PSU since it is which old and I think it might be nearing the end of it's days.

But wouldn't 8Gb of my ram still be running in dual channel mode as stated here:

And I don't think that GTA V uses more than 8Gb of ram to be effected by the excess ram running in single channel mode. However that is quite a shocking difference in performance seen in the video that you sent.

According to me memory does not impact that much as people think about it, at least for me. I hope you have updated BIOS. There are a lot of updates for your motherboard saying that it improves system compatibility.

 

[knickle]

According to me memory does not impact that much as people think about it, at least for me.

Check out this video. 1x8GB vs 2x4GB

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5wA7EFwpo


Pretty amazing. It will depend on the game of course, but who knew?!

 

[ishaankaushik]

Check out this video. 1x8GB vs 2x4GB

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5wA7EFwpo


Pretty amazing. It will depend on the game of course, but who knew?!

I did not mean that it does not impact at all but think about it , such low GPU usage can't be due to RAM. In his case I think it is motherboard causing issues.

 

[knickle]

I did not mean that it does not impact at all but think about it , such low GPU usage can't be due to RAM. In his case I think it is motherboard causing issues.

The OP should at the very least test the system with just the 8GB module on it's own. Trying to run 1x4GB + 1x8GB in dual channel mode screams out "conflict" to me, even if the motherboard will support the configuration. This is almost like trying to run a Raid 0 with a 2TB and 3TB drive and expecting the striped drives to register as 5TB in the OS.

It only takes a few minutes to test it out. It's worth a try in my opinion.

 

[ishaankaushik]

The OP should at the very least test the system with just the 8GB module on it's own. Trying to run 1x4GB + 1x8GB in dual channel mode screams out "conflict" to me, even if the motherboard will support the configuration. This is almost like trying to run a Raid 0 with a 2TB and 3TB drive and expecting the striped drives to register as 5TB in the OS.

It only takes a few minutes to test it out. It's worth a try in my opinion.

Yes that abnormal RAM configuration may be affecting the performance of his system.

 

[ArYcEz]

test the system with just the 8GB module on it's own

I've now tested my performance and tried running GTA V with only the 8Gb stick of ram and I observed lower performance with the same GPU usage, for reference where I'd get 170 FPS I would get 120~ FPS with the single 8Gb stick and where I would get 85-90 FPS I would get as low as 65 FPS.

Here are the charts of my GPU usage:
12Gb ram (1x 8Gb+ 1x 4Gb)

https://imgur.com/a/JavkA5W

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/JavkA5W

8Gb (1x 8Gb)

https://imgur.com/a/WA2JjtQ

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/WA2JjtQ

 

[knickle]

You did determine something important. Memory bandwidth has a significant impact. 👍

The million dollar question: is the split channel memory scenario holding you back? I wish I had the answer for you. 🙁

 

[ishaankaushik]

I've now tested my performance and tried running GTA V with only the 8Gb stick of ram and I observed lower performance with the same GPU usage, for reference where I'd get 170 FPS I would get 120~ FPS with the single 8Gb stick and where I would get 85-90 FPS I would get as low as 65 FPS.

Here are the charts of my GPU usage:
12Gb ram (1x 8Gb+ 1x 4Gb)

https://imgur.com/a/JavkA5W

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/JavkA5W

8Gb (1x 8Gb)

https://imgur.com/a/WA2JjtQ

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/WA2JjtQ

Did you update BIOS?

 

[ArYcEz]

Did you update BIOS?

Yes I did, I updated to the latest version before running both tests.

 

[ishaankaushik]

You did determine something important. Memory bandwidth has a significant impact. 👍

The million dollar question: is the split channel memory scenario holding you back? I wish I had the answer for you. 🙁

According to me he should have no problems at all with that memory configuration and we should focus more on other things to find out the problem. That mismatched configuration will cause all DIMMs to work in single channel if he installed it consecutively and dual+single channel if installed in DIMM 1 and 3 and other in any of the two left.

 

[ishaankaushik]

Yes I did, I updated to the latest version before running both tests.

What about windows? You updated that?

 

[Wendigo]

If a 3D benchmark is run, no matter which one, is the GPU usage going to 100% ? Or, said otherwise, is the low GPU usage issue specific to GTA V ?

 

[SgtScream]

Make sure you aren't using one cable going from the power supply with two connections plugged into the graphics card. Make sure you have two separate dedicated cables going from the power supply to the graphics card.
Make sure your power settings are configured to performance in Windows control panel.
Lastly if the above doesn't solve the issue, try re-seating the graphics card into the PCI-E slot along with the PSU Cables for it.

 

[ArYcEz]

What about windows? You updated that?

Yes, I reinstalled the latest version Windows to see if that would resolve the issue.

If a 3D benchmark is run, no matter which one, is the GPU usage going to 100% ? Or, said otherwise, is the low GPU usage issue specific to GTA V ?

Well it's worst in GTA V but the issue still persists, low to a lesser degree, in other games but that could be because they're poorly optimized (Tarkov and PUBG.)

52% Peak GPU usage (usually hovers around 35-45%) in overwatch with 85% peak CPU usage, the GPU usage goes quite high in Apex Legends (80-90%) with peak CPU usage of 86%

EDIT: GPU in PUBG is also around 70-80% with CPU usage peaking at 79%
And in Escape from Tarkov GPU usage is around 50% with CPU usage of 60%

The GPU has no issue with hitting 100% usage under synthetic work loads and benchmarks such as heaven, 3DMark timespy or furmark. Though in 3DMark timespy the GPU didn't consistantly hit 100% but I'm assuming that's because some scenes are CPU focused.